Coetzee out of RWC; four players released for Currie Cup

Lizo Gqoboka (Vodacom Blue Bulls), Marvin Orie (Xerox Golden Lions), Thomas du Toit and André Esterhuizen (both Cell C Sharks) have been released from the Springbok training squad back to their provinces and will be available for Currie Cup selection this weekend.

The four are members of the Springbok training squad of 36 players who gathered in Bloemfontein on Sunday for the start of a four-day Rugby World Cup camp. They will join their provinces on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Springbok management confirmed that Marcell Coetzee will undergo ankle surgery on Wednesday, 21 August. The Ulster looseforward hurt his ankle and received suffered a blow to the head in the first half of the Springboks’ 24-18 victory over Argentina in Pretoria.

Coetzee will be out of action for up to 12 weeks, which means he is also ruled out of contention for selection for the Springboks’ RWC squad.

The Springbok RWC squad announcement takes place on Monday, 26 August, at 15h00 in Johannesburg.